Caster



W. P. TRACY.

' CASTBR.

(No Mdel.)

Patented Feb. l5, 1887.

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WILLIAM'P. TRACY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,945, dated February 15., 1857.

(No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM l?. TRACY, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Casters, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description of the same.

My invention relates to casters, and is an improvement in that class the characteristic feature of which is the combining of devices with the spindle whereby the caster is prevented from dropping from the leg when the said leg is raised.

Heretofore various means have been provided for the purpose; but these have been more or less open to objections, by reason of the expense attending their manufacture and the difficulty in applying said devices to a caster of ordinary form. I aim to provide a holding device for the caster which may be applied to a caster-spindle of the ordinary form, and which will effect the desired result without any change whatever being made in either the socket or the said spindle adapted thereto. I further aim to provide such a device which will enable any one to insert the caster into its socket by mere pressure, without the use of tools of any kind.

My invention therefore consists in combining with the caster-spindle a tapering or coneshaped retaining-spring carried loosely thereby, having a limited vertical movement thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a central vertical section through the socket, the spindle being shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the springretainer. Fig. 3 is a modified form of retainer.

In the drawings, A represents the casterspindle, and B the socket adapted to receive the same. Both of these elements are of the usual and well-known construction, the former being provided with the ordinary head, a, adapt-ed to bear upon the seat b in the socket and support the weight of the article. The interior diameter of the socket is slightly greater than the diameter of the spindle, so that free rotary movement is permitted the latter when the piece of furniture is moved. It is necessary in providing a retaining device for the caster to take into consideration several requirements. The retaining-spring must is in the form of a cone, and is composed of a small sheet of metal bent into the tapered form referred to, the adjacent edges being left at a slight distance apart to permit the spring action. The diameter of the spring at 'its upper end is such that its outer surface will be even with the cylindrical surface of the head; but from this point the sides fiare outwardly to the point l, at which the spring is of greater diameter than either the spindle or the interior ofthe socket. A pin is formed onthe spindle below the spring-retainer, which serves to hold the retainer in place and to limit the movement of the same. The pin is placed at a greater distance from the head than the length of the spring, so that when the parts are in place there will be a slight space between the head of the spindle and the top of the spring. This is desirable, as the spindle will thus bear only upon its seat when revolving. By employing the tapering retainer no obstruction is offered when the spindle is being inserted into the socket, and it requires no pressing of the sides of the spring, either by hand or tool, as would be the case were the retainer of cylindrical form and the same diameter throughout.

It will be seen that when the spindle is pressed into place the retainer binds against the wall of the socket and is held stationary, the spindle revolving within it when the piece of furniture is moved. y

I am aware that it is old to use a spring-retainer in combination with the spindle; but such retainers have been of cylindrical form, with the same diameter throughout.

Instead of using the form of retainer shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I may employ that represented in Fig. 3. In this figure the spindle is shown 'as formed with a shoulder, 2, just below the head, and in the space between the shoulder and the head the small end of the cone is crimped or swaged inwardly, so that the retainer will be held in place and the surface of the same and that of the head will be iiush. By thus forming the retainer of cone shape I am enabled to make use of any kind of metal without being compelled to temper the same,

IOO

the spring action being produced by the difl of ordinary form, the eone-sliaped retainingference in diameter between the upper and springoarriedlooselybythespindle,theshoullower ends of the retainer. der upon the spindle, and the reduced portion I claim as my inventionof the retainer, substantially as described. 15 l. In combination, the spindle and socket In testimony WhereofI have signed my name of ordinary form, a cone-shaped retainingto this specification inthe presence of two subspring carried loosely by the spindle, and scribing witnesses.

means for limiting the vertical movement of l VILLIAM P. TRACY. said retainer upon the spindle7 substantially Witnesses: v zo as described. M. V. CLEMENT,

2. In combination, the spindle and socket GEO. G. WITMAN. 

